Fantasy Basketball Trade Tips: Week 2 Buy Low and Sell High Guide

Smart fantasy basketball managers know that Week 2 offers prime trade opportunities before league mates recognize true value.

Early-season variance creates perfect buy-low situations on proven contributors like Myles Turner and Dyson Daniels, whose shooting percentages are due to increase. Conversely, inflated performances from Aaron Gordon and Cam Thomas present sell-high chances.

Not every struggling player should be moved, though. Amen Thompson and Rudy Gobert warrant patience, as their underlying metrics suggest bounce-backs are imminent in fantasy basketball leagues.

Buy

Myles Turner, Milwaukee Bucks

After he spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Pacers, Turner signed with the Bucks during the offseason. While the Bucks' backcourt leaves a lot to be desired, the duo of Turner and Giannis Antetokounmpo is fearsome up front. However, Turner is off to a quiet start in the scoring department with an average of just 8.3 points per game. He had averaged at least 15.6 points in each of the prior three seasons.

Turner's usage rate is just 17.2% this season, but it was only 20.7% last season when he averaged 15.6 points. The main difference is that he has shot just 31.6% from the field and 22.7% from behind the arc. For his career, he has shot 49.8% from the field and 36.1% from deep. His efficiency will improve as the season moves along, so now is the time to try to acquire him at a discount. He has still been steady in other areas, averaging 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 blocks.

Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks

Daniels was a breakout player last season, contributing 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 3.0 steals and 1.1 three-pointers per game. He also shot 49.3% from the field. After not playing much to begin his career with the Pelicans, the Hawks started him and had him log 34 minutes per game. His playing time has dropped to 29 minutes through four games this season, which can likely be attributed to the offseason addition of Nickeil Alexander-Walker. With fewer minutes, Daniels has only averaged 5.0 points and 2.3 assists.

Daniels' usage rate is down from 18.2% last season to 12.8% this year. He is also shooting just 32.0% from the field, which should improve as the season moves along. Even with his reduced minutes and efficiency, Daniels has provided 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. His steals production is what makes him appealing in fantasy. Fantasy managers who need help in that department should float out buy-low offers for Daniels. 

Sell

Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets

Gordon is averaging 25.3 points per game this season, but that is skewed by his 50-point performance against the Lakers in his season opener. In his last game, he scored just nine points over 27 minutes against the Timberwolves. The Nuggets are a deeper team this season, so they can get added contributions from any given supporting player on a nightly basis. Gordon can certainly churn out juicy stat lines, but getting them on a consistent basis isn't likely. When he played 73 games two seasons ago, he provided modest averages of 13.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. See if someone in your league is willing to overpay for his services.

Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets

It has been a rollercoaster ride with Thomas. In two of his games, he scored 15 or fewer points. In his other two, he scored at least 33 points. That has left him with averages of 24.3 points and 2.3 three-pointers per game, which is about what fantasy managers have expected from him. However, he is averaging just 1.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists, while providing virtually nothing on the defensive end. The Nets are prone to being blown out, which can leave Thomas with limited minutes in those games. At some point, Thomas could also be rested as the Nets try to improve their lottery odds. Thomas is still on the floor right now, so it's time to put him on the trade block in fantasy.

Hold

Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets

Thomspon was already expected to be a breakout player this season, then Fred VanVleet went down with a torn ACL. The Rockets have gone big, which means Thompson has been their starting point guard. However, he has averaged just 13.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocks. The lack of rebounds and defensive stats is particularly surprising because he averaged 8.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks last season.

After shooting at least 53.6% from the field in both of his first two seasons, Thompson has shot just 42.9% this season. He is also 0-for-9 from behind the arc. With all of that in mind, don't panic and try to trade Thompson at a discount. He can contribute in multiple stat categories and will remain in a leading role with VanVleet no longer in the picture.

Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves

Gobert saw his production take a step back last season, but he still averaged 12.0 points, 10.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. He also shot 66.9% from the field. This season, he is averaging just 8.5 points and 9.0 rebounds across four games. In three of the four games, he has finished with seven or fewer rebounds. That trend likely won't continue, as Gobert hasn't averaged fewer than 10.7 rebounds in a season since 2014-15. While his scoring contributions might be inconsistent, Gobert can still be a good source for rebounds and blocks.